French Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barro calls for Israel probe and condemns Russian drone over Romania

French Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barro asked French prosecutors to investigate the treatment of French activists seized by Israel during the recent Gaza‑bound flotilla intercepted near Cyprus. He cited reports of violence, sexual abuse, exposure to cold and humiliation, and said the case now lies with the courts. Barro also announced that Israel’s interior minister is barred from entering France.

Barro later condemned the fall of a Russian drone onto a residential building in Romania, describing it as an "irresponsible act of Russia". He summoned the Russian ambassador to France, warned that such incidents, together with other Russian provocations, constitute intimidation, and emphasized NATO’s capacity to respond, noting the presence of about 1,500 French troops in Romania as part of the alliance’s eastern defence.